Night Train to Paris
Night Train to Paris

Movie spotlight

Night Train to Paris

1964
Movie
65 min
English

Former OSS officer Alan Holiday, now living in London, is visited on New Year's Eve by Catherine Carrel who says she is a close friend of Jules Lemoine who served with Holiday during the war. Lemoine urgently requests that Holiday go to Paris on a secret mission. Lemoine visits and wants Alan to deliver a reel of tape which he gives him, and keeps a fake reel himself to deceive enemy agents. Lemoine is killed and the fake tape stolen. Holiday, poses as an assistant to photographer Louis Vernay, and they take three models along to further the ruse.

Insights

IMDb6.8/10
Director: Robert BressonGenres: Drama, Crime, Thriller

Plot Summary

A young poet, disillusioned with his life, becomes entangled in a dangerous world of espionage and murder in post-war Paris. He is drawn into a web of intrigue involving a mysterious woman and a clandestine organization. As he attempts to navigate this perilous landscape, he finds himself increasingly isolated and facing the consequences of his choices.

Critical Reception

While Robert Bresson's films often divide audiences and critics, 'Night Train to Paris' is generally regarded as a lesser-known work in his filmography. It showcases his signature minimalist style and focus on existential themes. Critical reception tends to be polarized, with some appreciating its stark atmosphere and philosophical undertones, while others find it too austere or slow-paced.

What Reviewers Say

  • Bresson's austere and minimalist approach creates a unique, if challenging, cinematic experience.

  • The film explores themes of alienation and existential dread with a detached, observational style.

  • Praised for its atmospheric tension and unflinching portrayal of moral ambiguity.

Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this less widely distributed film, but those that exist often highlight its challenging nature, with some appreciating its intellectual depth and artistic merit, while others find its pacing and lack of conventional emotional engagement to be significant drawbacks.

Fun Fact

Robert Bresson famously employed the technique of 'cinematography of the hands,' often focusing on the actors' hands to convey emotion and action, a stylistic choice evident throughout 'Night Train to Paris'.

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